Stormswept Skies
by pivypiv
Summary: This about the clans 5 months after The Last Hope, near the end of winter. Snowkit is the PoV character, but this also focuses on Jayfeather and his grief and relationships, but also just about Snowkit's life. It's about forgiveness, resentment, my headcanon, and a cat who doesn't have powers, and isn't particularly extraordinary (at least, not on the scale of The Three).
1. Prologue

**This chapter is probably the only one told from another cat's perspective, and unless I reach a point where it would be useful to add another perspective this will remain the only one. The rest is Snowkit's. Also, this chapter takes place the day after the battle, in the morning.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own warriors**

* * *

**ThunderClan**

**Leader**: Bramblestar – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy**: Squirrelflight – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

**Medicine** **Cat**: Jayfeather – grey tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**Warriors**: Cloudtail – long-furred white tom with blue eyes

Brackenfur – golden brown tabby tom

Sorreltail – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

Millie – striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Leafpool – light- brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat

Whitewing – white she-cat with green eyes

Birchfall – light brown tabby tom

Berrynose – cream-coloured tom

Hazeltail – small grey-and-white she-cat

**Apprentice, Lilypaw**

Poppyfrost – tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionblaze – golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Foxleap – reddish tabby tom with a scar across his shoulder

Toadstep – black-and-white tom

Blossomfall – tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Bumblestripe – very pale grey tom with black stripes

**Apprentice, Seedpaw**

Briarlight – dark brown she-cat

Ivypool – silver-and-white tabby she-cat with tattered ears

Cherryfur – ginger she-cat

Moletooth – brown-and-cream tom with a heavily scarred muzzle

**Apprentices: **Seedpaw – pale ginger she-cat

Lilypaw – dark tabby she-cat with white patches

**Queens**:

Daisy – cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

Brightheart – white she-cat with ginger patches (mother to Snowkit, a white tom with amber eyes, Dewkit, a small grey tom with amber eyes, and Amberkit, a pale gray she-kit with a white muzzle, right ear, and paws, and amber eyes)

Dovewing – pale gray she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Beaverkit, a dark tabby she-kit, and Flamekit, a dark tortoiseshell tom)

Cinderheart – grey tabby she-cat, expecting Lionblaze's kits

**Elders**: Purdy – plump tabby with a gray muzzle, former loner

Graystripe – long-furred grey tom

Sandstorm – pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

**ShadowClan**

**Leader**: Rowanstar – ginger tom

**Deputy: **Applefur – mottled brown she-cat

**Apprentice, Ashpaw**

**Medicine Cat: **Littlecloud – very small tabby tom

**Apprentice, Tigerheart**

**Warriors: **Toadfoot – dark brown tom

Crowfrost – black-and-white tom

Kinkfur – tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles

Snowbird – pure white she-cat

Tawnypelt – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Olivenose – tortoiseshell she-cat

Dawnpelt – cream-furred she-cat

**Apprentice, Adderpaw**

Pinenose – black she-cat

Ferretclaw – cream-and-grey tom

**Apprentice, Sap-paw**

Dewleap – grey she-cat

Mistfur – spiky-furred pale grey she-cat

Stoatwhisker – skinny ginger tom

Softears – small grey tom with large ears

**Apprentices: **Ashpaw – black tom

Adderpaw – brown and grey she-cat with amber eyes

Sap-paw – skinny, long-furred reddish-brown tom

**Queens: **Ivytail – black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat

Shrewfoot – grey she-cat with black feet (mother to Blackkit, silver-and-grey tabby tom)

**Elders: **Whitewater – white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye

Oakfur – small brown tom

Smokefoot – black tom

**WindClan**

**Leader: **Onestar – brown tabby tom

**Apprentice, Larkpaw**

**Deputy: **Sedgewhisker – light brown tabby she-cat

**Apprentice, Antpaw**

**Medicine Cat: **Kestrelflight – mottled grey tom

**Warriors:** Crowfeather – dark grey tom

**Apprentice, Crouchpaw**

Owlwhisker – light brown tabby tom

Nightcloud – black she-cat

**Apprentice, Hawkpaw**

Weaselfur – ginger tom with white paws

**Apprentice, Thistlepaw**

Emberfoot – grey tom with two dark paws

Heathertail – light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Swallowtail – dark grey she-cat

**Apprentice, Foggypaw**

Boulderfur – large pale grey tom

Gorseflight – ginger tabby-and-white she-cat

**Apprentices:**

Hawkpaw – ginger tom with wide amber eyes

Larkpaw – grey she-cat with green eyes

Crouchpaw – black tom with green eyes

Antpaw – dark grey tom

Thistlepaw – light grey tabby tom

Foggypaw – white tom with grey patches

**Queens:** Sunstrike – tortoiseshell she-cat with white mark on her forehead, (mother to Swiftkit, a dark brown tom, Lichenkit, a dark brown she-kit, and Marshkit, a brown tabby tom)

**Elders: **Leaftail – dark tabby tom with a twisted leg

Gorsetail – pale grey-and-white she-cat with foggy eyes

**RiverClan**

**Leader: **Mistystar – grey she-cat with blue eyes and a grey muzzle

**Deputy: **Reedwhisker – black tom

**Medicine Cat: **Mothwing – dappled golden she-cat

**Apprentice, Willowshine**

**Warriors: **Graymist – pale grey tabby she-cat

Icewing – white she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentice, Bluepaw**

Pebblefoot – mottled grey tom

Robinwing – tortoiseshell-and-white tom

**Apprentice, Deep-paw**

Petalfur – grey-and-white she-cat

Hollowflight – dark brown tabby tom

**Apprentice, Timberpaw**

Ducksong – tabby she-cat

Curlfur – grey she-cat with tangled fur

**Apprentice, Wrenpaw**

Herontail – brown tabby tom

**Apprentices: **Willowshine – grey tabby she-cat

Bluepaw – grey spotted tabby tom

Deep-paw – light-grey tabby tom with large paws

Wrenpaw – spotted tabby she-cat

Timberpaw – mottled brown-and-ginger tom

**Queens: **Mosspelt – tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Mossyfoot – brown-and-white she-cat, expecting Mintfur's kits

**Elders:** Dapplenose – mottled grey she-cat

Pouncetail – ginger-and-white tom

Mintfur – light grey tabby tom

**Cats Outside of the Clans**

Floss – small grey-and-white she-cat who lives at the Horseplace

Smoky – muscular grey-and-white tom who lives in a barn at the Horseplace

Frisk – flecked brown tom

Speckle – flecked brown she-cat

Breezepelt – black tom with amber eyes, formerly of WindClan

Harespring – brown-and-white tom, formerly of WindClan

Furzepelt – grey-and-white she-cat, formerly of WindClan

Mousewhisker – grey-and-white tom, formerly of ThunderClan

Minnowtail – dark grey she-cat, formerly of RiverClan

* * *

Jayfeather cautiously rose to his paws, assured that the senior warrior was sleeping. Dustpelt had been difficult, refusing treatment to the savage wounds on his side, and only relenting after Icecloud begged him. His wounds had been set with a poultice of comfrey, and Jayfeather had slipped two large poppy seeds into the injured warrior's dose of feverfew. The medicine cat had decided that his patient could use the sleep, even at the expense of the coming leaf-bare's stock.

Jayfeather avoided the urge to stretch his tired body, aware of the tenuous silence in the crowded medicine den, and unwilling to break it by bumping into one of the injured. There were five cats in the den, including Briarlight, those with injuries severe enough that a nearby supply of herbs and water was necessary.

Dustpelt, Cloudtail, Rospetal and Pebblefoot had sustained the worst injuries, and of them Rosepetal was weakest. Toadstep had dragged her all the way back from RiverClan and through WindClan, alone after Hollowflight ran off to help the floundering WindClan. Jayfeather had known Toadstep from a kit, yet he was surprised by the tom's powerful love for his sister – and his stupidity in not taking her straight to Kestrelflight after he reached WindClan territory. As it was, the she-cat was unlikely to survive the night, and Jayfeather knew that in such dire situations, seconds counted.

Jayfeather murmured to Briarlight to call him if anything happened, grabbed a few sprigs of lavender, and carefully padded to the opening of the medicine den. He sensed several cats lying in the hollow, without the energy to make it to their dens. The direction of the fresh-kill pile smelled of nothing but stone, and someone had moved the dead bodies to the centre of camp where a few cats sat vigil. Jayfeather stretched and quickly slunk towards them.

He tried to be unobtrusive as he made his way between the mourning cats to give the belated ritual to hide the stench of death with lavender, but invariably was on the receiving end of a few snarls. Most of the clan had only ever treated Jayfeather with the wary respect accorded to medicine cats, but the tom felt that – for once – he could not be bothered to argue. For each cat he repeated the words spoken for season upon season: "May StarClan light your path. May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter when you sleep."

He padded up to Ferncloud, and touched his nose to her soft flank, breathing in the scent of his long-ago kithood. "You were like a third mother to us," he began, "when neither Leafpool or Squirrelflight could feed us. You fought bravely. I hope you find your kits in StarClan." Next, he walked around Purdy to get to Mousefur, and placed his muzzle on her head. "I only knew you as an elder, but you have died and lived as any noble warrior would, and your legacy will live on long after you fade from memory."

Firestar lay stretched on the ground, Graystripe and Sandstorm by his side. Jayfeather hesitated a moment, unsure whether it was appropriate to do so, but licked his leader's head. "You led your clan well, and it was a privelage to serve under your leadership. You have left ThunderClan in safe paws."

Jayfeather rose and probed his clanmates' mind for the information he already knew, dreading his next task. The farthest from the fresh-kill pile, the sleek shell lay where once had lived a great mind. Squirrelflight and Cinderheart lay by Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather felt Brambleclaw sitting nearby. He managed to manoeuvre himself so they were nose to nose, yet he could not find the proper words. Jayfeather the medicine cat had the perfect words, about sacrifice and repentance, but Jayfeather the brother could not bring himself to utter them.

Finally, after a tense minute of inner struggle, the brother won. "Hollyleaf," he murmured, "I'm sorry about everything that happened to you, sorry that I didn't help you when you needed me, that I couldn't help you choose the right path, that I didn't try hard enough to convince you that none of it matters. I'm sorry that I didn't look for you. I'm sorry about lying to the clan, when all you ever wanted was the truth. I love you. I hope you found peace at the end." He breathed in his sister's scent, almost entirely cloaked by the lavender, and lay down, his ordeals finally catching up to him. Rest was not his yet.

With a sigh, the weary tom scanned the aura of his weary clan. He had been awake for hours, tending to the injured with Leafpool until Brambleclaw had sent her to help Littlecloud in ShadowClan, and had had no chance to observe ThunderClan's mood, which he now saw as his responsibility. Fear, anger, resignation and pain stormed around his clanmates, and the faithful medicine cat felt his own pelt spark with an irrational irritation at the battered warriors, fuelled by exhaustion and grief. _I've been working my claws off, and nobody lifts a paw to help themselves? I deserve a chance to sit vigil by my fallen clanmates, yet I only have time for a few moments' mourning before sunrise. There are some perfectly healthy cats that aren't even sitting vigil at all, just lazing around and waiting to be told what to do._

The light patter of pawsteps worked into Jayfeather's mind, and he turned his head to the source a moment before the rest of the clan. He felt mild surprise bounce off his clanmates, and waited until he could sense the presence of the newcomer. Finally, he felt Ivypool's quiet knot of feeling enter the camp, and a moment later the scent of fresh blood reached him. Jayfeather, confused and tired, started to his paws – was Ivypool injured?

"Nice catch," Bumblestripe called hoarsely from a ledge. Jayfeather relaxed; the blood was the fresh-kill's, not the warrior's. As he settled down again, he heard the pawsteps make their way towards the empty pile and drop the prey. Jayfeather reached to the edge of Blumblestripe's mind, and caught that Ivypool had brought in a two mice and a vole. _That is impressive,_ he thought reluctantly.

The she-cat made her way towards Dovewing, sleeping by the nursery, and meowed in her ear quietly enough that only Jayfeather and Dovewing could hear her. "You're going hunting with Bumblestripe, at the abandoned Twoleg nest, okay?" Dovewing radiated confusion, but rose obediently to her paws and tottered towards Bumblestripe's ledge. Jayfeather continued to track Ivypool' progress as she made her way to the nursery, where Seedkit and Lilykit watched the beleaguered clan with anxious curiosity.

"Brightheart, I know it can't be easy, but can you go out to look for some herbs? It won't help to sit around and do nothing while so many cats are injured. I don't mean any disrespect to you, but Leafpool's in ShadowClan, and I don't think Jayfeather can move another mouse-length." _That impudent little she-cat! I'm not old yet!_ "Besides those two you know the most about herbs. Bumblestripe and Dovewing are about to go hunting at the old twoleg nest. You could go with them."

The queen shifted. "I suppose Sorreltail won't mind looking after the kits. You know, it's almost sunrise, the vigil's almost over. I think I will. " The two she-cats walked from the nursery to the thorn tunnel, Brightheart's paws bounding to catch up with the younger warriors who had already left. Jayfeather felt a peak in Foxleap's awareness, and felt his old denmate rise and follow the other warriors out of the camp.

Ivypool sat guard at the entrance to the tunnel, and Jayfeather could feel that, despite feelings of regret and shame roiling inside of her, she was calm.

Jayfeather felt Brambleclaw watching Ivypool as well, and had to stifle a darkly amused purr. _Watch out, Brambleclaw; if you don't do something, Ivystar will take your place!_

"Brambleclaw," he murmured after regaining his composure, "what do you think of that?"

The tom was quiet for a moment, his mind closed to Jayfeather's probing. Finally, he murmured, "so much like her," and Brambleclaw's tail swished across the ground, towards his fallen kit.

Jayfeather took a moment to register that Brambleclaw meant Hollyleaf. "I don't know about that," he said slowly, not letting his emotions burst through. "Hollyleaf never would have lied as Ivypool did."

But Jayfeather could tell his foster-father wasn't listening. "I was going to make her my deputy. Firestar and I agreed on it, that she would be my deputy. We spoke to her about it, we wanted to have everything settled before the battle. She was going to have an apprentice, one of Sorreltail's kits. She accepted."

Jayfeather thrust himself to his paws, ignoring Squirrelflight and Cinderheart's shock, and hissed at his leader. "Don't talk of things that can never be. Hollyleaf is dead!" Quieter, he meowed, "it's dawn, Brambleclaw. Tend to your clan before they die, too." And with that Jayfeather stalked away, indifferent to the cats he woke as he barged past them.

The medicine den felt more crowded than before, and the infuriated tom did not immediately realise that it was not just a matter of perception. As Briarlight dozed, three tiny bundles of energy swarmed over Cloudtail, and Jayfeather didn't even check if his beleaguered patient was in pain before growling at the kits to leave.

"But we want to visit Cloudtail," Dewkit squealed.

Amberkit joined in too. "And he's our father, so you can't stop us!"

"Yeah, and he's Firestar's kin too! So we're Firestar's kin, and he's the leader, so you can't tell us to do anything at all!" Dewkit beamed pride at her idea, and Jayfeather felt his anger grow.

He began to speak very quietly, a barely suppressed rage building behind his voice. "I can tell you to do anything at all I please, and if you don't leave this den right now you'll end up with more than a scolding."

The kits were silent, intimidated by the fearsome tone.

"But you're blind. What can you do if you can't see?" Snowkit asked.

Jayfeather's retort died in his throat, and he felt the honest curiosity coming off the kit mix with his own desperation and fear. _What can I do? I couldn't save Hollyleaf, from Hawkfrost nor herself. What does a medicine cat do when he can't protect those closest to him, when he can't make sense of them? _Jayfeather felt the answer hovering beyond his powers, beyond his ability to perceive, and suddenly his anger rushed back to him. Without thinking he unsheathed his claws and prepared to pounce.

"Jayfeather!" Sorreltail burst into the already-crowded den, her cry momentarily waking Dustpelt before he drifted back to sleep, and snapping Jayfeather back to reality. "I'm so sorry, I was talking with Brackenfur. Don't worry, I'll take them back right away." Jayfeather quickly sheathed his claws before she noticed, and murmured thanks.

The queen shooed the kits out, Amberkit and Dewkit grumbling. Snowkit hesitated, quickly darted to Cloudtail's side to lick his father's head, and ran back out before Sorreltail could say anything.

"What a pawful," Cloudtail meowed hoarsely. "They really wound you up there, didn't they?" He purred, and his affection lapped at Jayfeather's pelt. Jayfeather didn't reply, lost in his thoughts. _Can a cat heal others if he can't heal himself?_

"You know," Cloudtail began, suddenly sounding weak as a kit, and fearful, "I wonder what will happen to them. What happens to kits that are born among so much death? What happens to kits whose father dies? What will they think of life if all they know is death?"

Rosepetal whimpered, waking Briarlight. Jayfeather bit back a snarl and walked stiff-legged towards them, so he could watch, helpless and useless, as two cats younger than him by seasons died slow deaths. _Yes Cloudtail: what will happen to them with a medicine cat like me?_


	2. Chapter One

**This took longer than I expected to flesh out, but I'm satisfied with this chapter. If you don't remember, Snowkit, Dewkit and Amberkit were Brightheart and Cloudtail's litter from The Last Hope. This is about five to five and a half months after the end of The Last Hope, in winter, on the night of a gathering.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own warriors**

* * *

_The kit crouched on the juncture of trunk and branch, sinking his claws into the snow-slicked bough. Below him, calls and whispers echoed against the trees, but he ignored them. At the end of the branch, a brazen squirrel nibbled a berry cautiously. The kit felt his muscles bunching, ready to pounce on the prey sitting less than a fox-length away. Suddenly, the squirrel looked up, red tail jerking in surprise. The kit tensed his muscles, and leapt._

Snowkit faded out of sleep, feeling the world of his dreams melt underpaw, replaced by his littermates' quiet breathing, and the soft moss tickling his growling belly. He sucked in a deep breath, taking in with eyes closed the warm nursery and smell of milk – and beyond, the cold quiet of the stone hollow and the strange echoes made by the few moving creatures in the last of the stifling snow. Snowkit knew with a sudden clarity that it was well before moonhigh, and fought back a purr of triumph.

The kit stretched against the hard-packed earth, opening his eyes warily.

Dovewing lay on her side, Brightheart's litter to her back and her own kits out of sight, though Snowkit's alert ears could pick up Beaverkit and Flamekit's breathing. Daisy was curled in a corner, her creamy paws twitching intermittently.

Amberkit, ever fastidious, lay curled in a ball snuggled up to Snowkit's flank, in almost the exact same position as when they had fallen asleep.

Dewkit was sprawled against the bramble wall of the nursery, mouth agape and limbs shooting out in every direction, as usual. Snowkit wondered what sort of dream a cat had to have to end up in that position, and momentarily remembered the previous night's dream of hunting a squirrel. Snowkit hardly ever had dreams, and he felt each one he could remember a small triumph.

Now was no time to dwell on dreams, though.

Dovewing was certainly much closer than normal, but with Brightheart beginning to resume her warrior duties Dovewing and Daisy had been left to look after the other cat's litter as well, and Snowkit wasn't especially surprised, only relieved that Brightheart was still at the Gathering.

Snowkit silently stood and stretched, being sure not to yawn; he had experience with evading Dovewing's vigilant care, and at close to six moons Snowkit no longer tumbled around his overgrown paws like a newborn kit. Dovewing seemed always to know when kits were up to trouble, and it had taken experience and care for Brightheart's kits to figure out ways to outsmart her, or at least bluff her senses.

Dewkit, Snowkit and Amberkit were often up to mischief in many forms – enough mischief in fact, that Squirrelflight herself had threatened that they would be made warriors late, which only convinced the kits to not get caught again.

Snowkit woke his littermates, and the kits slowly and quietly made their way down the stone hollow from the bramble nursery, wincing when Dewkit's incessant clumsiness caused an unnecessarily loud noise. Snowkit kept between Amberkit and the wall of the hollow, hiding his bright pelt from the illuminating full moon. As he crept down the path, he occasionally glanced up at the moon, shining its light and passing the time. _Only a quarter-moon to go, _he thought. Apprenticeship was almost in sight.

Finally at the bottom of the hollow, the kits shuffled across to a low bush as far from the thorn tunnel as they could get. Moons ago, the littermates could easily fit behind the bush with room to spare, but now their growing bodies – especially Snowkit's – left all three kits struggling for cover as they peered out at the empty camp, wary of being watched.

"And you tease me for being small!" Amberkit glared at Dewkit, whose whisper had been more than ideal volume for sneaking out of camp.

For that was what the kits had assembled to do. Snowkit had secretly foregone his fresh-kill, knowing that he slept restlessly on an empty stomach and would wake well into the night. The night had been specifically chosen when the kits realised that, with only a quarter moon to go before their apprentice ceremony – which felt more like a lifetime to Snowkit – the night of a gathering was the best and last chance they would have to sneak out of camp.

Snowkit bit back a retort about Dewkit's size as Amberkit's fiery gaze burned into his pelt. _She, _he thought, _could frighten off the ShadowClan leader if she wanted to._

Shrugging off his sister's eerie regard, Snowkit took the position at the front of his siblings and gestured for Amberkit to follow in the back, leaving Dewkit wedged between the two bigger cats.

Snowkit was vaguely aware of what would happen if they were caught like the last few escape attempts. However, the thought of how impressed his clanmates – especially his future mentor – would be easily crushed any doubts.

Finally, after what seemed like a moon of walking, creeping and hiding, Snowkit sat against the wall of the dirtplace. He was waiting for Amberkit and Dewkit to scale the hidden ledges that lined the cliffs and led outside of ThunderClan camp, which they had discovered only sunrises before. Amberkit ascended first, followed by Dewkit. Snowkit half expected his clumsy brother to fall.

"Hurry up, snail-paws!" Amberkit mewed. Startled, Snowkiy glanced up his sister, her white ears and muzzle glowing in the moonlight. He jumped to the first ledge, and then the second, third, and halfway up the cliff. Amberkit hissed at him to hurry, and suddenly there was another voice that lurched Snowkit's heart.

"Anyone in there?" Snowkit scrabbled frantically at the wall, bounding haphazardly onto ledge after ledge, and collapsed at the top of the cliff after the combined efforts and Dewkit and Amberkit had pulled him over the edge.

When he had caught his breath, the frightened kit peered down over the cliff, watching a bewildered Purdy search the dirtplace.

"Must've been a squirrel . . . or somethin'," the senile tom murmured.

Purdy left, mumbling, after making dirt. After a few moments of watching to see if he would come back, Snowkit slowly looked up at his littermates. Amberkit stared at him blankly, and Dewkit fidgeted. Snowkit cocked his head in confusion. _Why are they looking at me? _he wondered.

And then it dawned on him. Snowkit breathlessly looked around, taking in the view from the top of the hollow. "We're outside of camp!" he whispered, stunned.

Amberkit rolled her glowing eyes. "Thank you for telling us that, shrew-brain, I don't think we'd noticed." She blinked, apparently realising that she had broken her own oft-defended rule of silence.

Dewkit chuffed. "Both of you are wrong. We need to get past the brambles before-"

"Shush!"

* * *

"The Sky Oak is by the shore of the Lake," Amberkit mewed. She sat by a large tree trunk, staring up into the canopy. "Does this look like the Sky Oak to you?"

Snowkit glanced at the huge tree that dwarfed his sister by comparison. If this were the Sky Oak, Snowkit would not be surprised.

Dewkit stumbled over a root hidden by a small patch of snow, and sat heavily. He gazed up at the tree. "I could climb that."

Snowkit ignored him. "I'm not sure, Amberkit," he mewed slowly. He wouldn't have admitted for all the prey around the Lake that he had no idea where he was. "What's an oak supposed to look like?"

Amberkit shook her head quickly. "No, it isn't that, flea-brain. I know what an oak looks like."

Snowkit rolled his eyes and collapsed on his back with frustration – and exhaustion. Amberkit was impossible.

"It's big," Dewkit continued, not acknowledging Amberkit and Snowkit's conversation, "but I could do it. And when I'm at the top I'll see the whole Lake." Snowkit shot an annoyed glance at Dewkit, who was staring at the tree with owl-like eyes, and Amberkit, with her nose pressed against the bark as if she could smell the name it might possess. The excitement of escaping camp had sustained the kits until moonhigh, but by now they were hopelessly lost, cold, tired and hungry, and desperate for some landmark to guide them back to camp – not that he was afraid, Snowkit assured himself. But what was the point of escaping camp if nobody ever knew?

Amberkit's head suddenly snapped around, and her fur stood on end. Snowkit scrambled to his paws and awkwardly spun around to see whatever had spooked her.

The forest was quiet, dark, cold – and empty. Snowkit turned angrily to Amberkit, who was staring past him, her tail swishing with excitement. "What was that about? What's wrong with you?" He paced back and forwards around the tree, lashing his tail and shivering with chill and fear. He suddenly felt how soft were his paws, how thin was his pelt, and how little he understood of his own territory. _What are we going to do?_ he thought, and felt a stab of terror.

"_Don't you get it?" _Amberkit cried. She pelted towards Dewkit. "If one of us climbs the tree, we'll be able to see where camp is!"

Dewkit jumped into the idea with relish. "And maybe I'll see some prey and we'll be able to catch it and-"

"-bring it back to the clan and Cloudtail will be so proud-"

"-and Bramblestar will be so impressed-"

"-and he'll make us apprentices early-"

"-and we'll choose our own mentors and-"

The two kits were crouching nose to nose, firing ideas at each other like lightning, and Snowkit watched on, entranced. Their tide of enthusiasm swept him along, and Snowkit could hardly help feeling that they couldn't fail.

"Do you really think we'll be able to choose our mentors?" Snowkit asked cautiously. That benefit in itself outweighed any glory Snowkit though he would receive, and his spirits lifted. Dewkit nodded vigorously.

"Of course! I bet we'll catch so much prey that no other warriors will catch any tomorrow. We're Firestar's kin too, so Bramblestar won't have a choice!" Dewkit's enthusiasm was powerful, but Snowkit saw doubt flash across Amberkit eyes, and wondered if his level-headed sister realised that the idea had bolted out of her control.

Snowkit put that thought aside though, and ran alongside Dewkit to the base of the tree. "I'll be the one to go up," Snowkit mewed as he realised how high the tree really was; Dewkit was too weak and uncoordinated to make it up such a tall tree.

"Don't worry," Dewkit replied. To Snowkit's surprise, Dewkit planted his forepaws on the bigger his back and leaped towards the tree.

"Dewkit!" Amberkit screeched. Snowkit was frozen to the ground, his shock dragging his stomach into his throat. Dewkit actually managed to land on a low-hanging branch, and Snowkit felt his heart give a mighty shudder as he realised what their grand plans could entail.

"I told you I could do it," Dewkit called from above.

"You still have a long way to go," Snowkit mewed lamely. If Dewkit _had _missed the branch, he would have been badly bruised. Now, though, the prospect of a fall rooted Snowkit with horror.

Amberkit was shivering violently in the corner of Snowkit's eye, more shaken than Snowkit had ever seen her, her eyes blazing with anger and fear. "Get down, Dewkit! Come down right now! I – I was just joking. I don't even know _how _to hunt!"

Amberkit was making more noise than Snowkit thought possible, but hardly any of it penetrated the thick veil of fear that coiled around him. _We're only kits! What are we doing here?_

"Don't worry," Dewkit grunted as he jumped onto another branch. "Maybe I'll find something in the tree. Brightheart likes squirrels, doesn't-" Dewkit suddenly lurched to the side, and Snowkit jolted forward in alarm. "I'm okay," Dewkit mewed, and righted himself on the branch.

"We'll find another way! If we walk for long enough we'll run into camp, or a patrol – or a border, and then we can just wait for a patrol." Dewkit ignored Amberkit, and continued his ascent. Amberkit whimpered, and Snowkit touched his tail to her flank.

"He'll be okay," Snowkit whispered awkwardly, unused to comforting his usually indifferent sister.

Dewkit had made it far enough now that his dark grey pelt was almost invisible in the dim light. Amberkit only stared, whiskers quivering.

Snowkit almost began to believe that Dewkit would make it to the top when a queer noise reached him. _Was that the tree? _he thought. _Is it breaking? _It was almost like the noise the branches that hung over the stone hollow made when the wind passed through them. Snowkit glanced around him.

"Hey, look!" Dewkit's voice called down. "A squirrel." Snowkit's head snapped back to the tree, but he couldn't see Dewkit.

"Oh, no," Amberkit murmured. A red flash skittered across a thin branch, and Snowkit's heart lurched. Dewkit was following the squirrel along a branch that couldn't support his weight. Behind him, the sound got louder and louder.

Snowkit was suddenly unfrozen, and he ran to the spot vaguely below Dewkit, who was balancing precariously so far above the ground. He didn't bother begging Dewkit to come down; it was much too late for that. He only helplessly stared up into the branches and waited to break his brother's fall.

The squirrel twitched its tail, seeming to weigh its options: jump to the next tree, dodge around the kit, or wait for him to fall. Snowkit craned his neck backwards, Amberkit opened her mouth for a yowl, and the noise exploded all around the kits.

Dewkit jumped.


	3. Chapter Two

**Personally I like this chapter, but if you find it dull I assure you that the next chapter is a lot more interesting.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors**

Snowkit was roughly pushed aside, and he lost sight of Dewkit.

"Just kits," someone muttered angrily.

"Sedgewhisker, in the tree! It's a kit!" _Sedgewhisker?_ Snowkit tried to twist back around to look for Dewkit, but found a wall of black fur in front of his face. Snowkit jerked backwards in surprise, and a cat's face turned to him, amber eyes ablaze.

"Dewkit!" Amberkit crouched behind another she-cat, a small, light-brown tabby. Snowkit tried to run, but the black she-cat stepped in front of him once more.

"Catch him!" someone screeched, and Snowkit heard a whistle of air and a grunt. The black she-cat snapped her head back towards the tree.

And then came a sickening crunch.

Snowkit yowled and pushed his way around the she-cat. _Oh, StarClan! Dewkit, please be okay! _

At first, Snowkit couldn't make sense of what was going on. He expected to see Dewkit sprawled against the tree's roots, silent and still like the half-forgotten bodies of those who died fighting the Dark Forest. Instead, a small brown tabby lay curled into herself where Dewkit should have landed.

"Sedgewhisker!" A small grey tom ran to the tabby's side and crouched by her head. Another tom padded towards her and stood at a respectful distance, bright eyes roving like fireflies. Snowkit stared helplessly. _Where is he? _

"Get back here!" The black she-cat swept her tail towards him, but Snowkit bounded out of reach and ran to the base of the tree.

"Dewkit!" he screeched, searching the branches wildly for his littermate. Suddenly he heard a groan, and Snowkit turned back around to the fallen tabby. The dark tom licked her head, and she uncurled her body with another moan.

Lying along the tabby's brown striped belly was a splotch of grey, with rolling amber eyes. The tabby she-cat unclenched her jaws and sheathed her claws, leaving behind tiny, bloody marks on Dewkit's pelt. His chest moved minutely, and Snowkit almost collapsed with relief. The grey tom's whiskers quivered. "Sedgewhisker, are you okay? Should we get help?"

The she-cat shook her head and opened her eyes. "I'm okay," she mewed hoarsely. "Antpaw, help me up." The grey tom complied, bracing himself under Sedgewhisker's weight.

The tom with the roaming eyes, a lithe ginger, padded forward through the bracken. "Hawkpaw," the injured she-cat mewed to him, "run to ThunderClan camp, find Jayfeather and tell him what has happened. Don't accept any help, don't say any more than you need to, and report back to me immediately. I trust you." The skinny ginger tom flicked his tail in response and shot through the bracken in the direction the kits had come from, faster than Snowkit thought possible. The black she-cat called out for him to be careful.

Amberkit skittered across the slushy earth to Snowkit's side, brushing against him. The two other she-cat bounded towards the kits and stood close, preventing their escape.

"What should we do with these kits?" the light brown she-cat asked.

Most of what was going on had flown over Snowkit's head, but he began to realise that these cats were talking about him and his littermates.

Sedgewhisker rested her grey eyes on the other two kits and flicked her tail in irritation. "We don't have time for this," she meowed softly. "Nightcloud, you have experience with this sort of thing; you'll carry the injured kit to ThunderClan." The black she-cat lashed her tail. "That's an order, Nightcloud!" Sedgewhisker hissed, and Snowkit flinched. Life in camp was never this frightening.

"Heathertail," Sedgewhisker gestured to the pale she-cat, "you help Nightcloud along and scent ahead. Antpaw, you take the back. You'll be going into enemy territory."

"What about you and the … them?" Antpaw gestured with his tail towards Amberkit. _I won't let them touch Dewkit, _Snowkit thought to himself.

"We're staying here." Sedgewhisker replied. She took a step away from Antpaw and leaned heavily on a moss-riddled tree trunk. "I can't walk," she admitted. "I'd only be a hindrance. Bring a ThunderClan warrior with you on your way back and have her take the kits. I'll wait with them for you. As long as ThunderClan doesn't decide to invade tonight, we'll be fine."

Heathertail padded towards Sedgewhisker, and Nightcloud followed. "Wouldn't that be imprudent?" Snowkit swiftly crept to Dewkit's side and gestured to Amberkit to stand with him.

"What would be imprudent is letting a kit die while experienced warriors argue." The two older she-cats bowed their heads, and Antpaw fidgeted. Sedgewhisker was clearly the youngest warrior present, but she spoke with firm authority.

"Antpaw, I'm counting on you to act like a responsible warrior," Sedgewhisker mewed, and the apprentice puffed up his thin chest in pride. "Now, go already! We're wasting time, and the longer we stay here the more dangerous this becomes. Hurry!"

Snowkit glanced around at these strange, lithe warriors so unlike those he knew, who looked so out of place amongst the bark and fern. Their every movement seemed sped up, yet they moved with a strange, liquid grace. Amberkit seemed to be taking everything in with equanimity, but Snowkit was frightened and angry. "What's going on? What are you talking about?" he yowled.

Snowkit stared the warriors down. "We're taking your littermate home so he won't die," Sedgewhisker responded calmly. "You two are staying with me."

Dewkit's eyes were closed now, and Snowkit felt his heart quicken as he realised how small and helpless his littermate looked. He wondered what had broken inside him that made that trickle of blood curl down from Dewkit's mouth. _Jayfeather will fix him, _he thought, confident in the medicine cat's abilities. _And I _will _be there to watch!_

Snowkit crouched down lower and hissed at the warriors, tiny teeth bared. "He's not going a-anywhere without us," he managed to choke out weakly. Sedgewhisker flicked her tail in signal to Nightcloud, who rolled her eyes and padded closer.

"We aren't going to _bite_, little kit," she hissed. Snowkit gulped and prepared to defend his brother, shivering as he tried to remember the moves Lilypaw had taught him. _I can bite her tail, but I have to get behind her first. Or jump on her back and … what do I do then? Oh, I should have spent more time with Lilypaw when I had the chance! _He gulped. _I'm doomed, but I have to try. _Snowkit crouched so low that his belly touched the bare earth below him, preparing to pounce.

In a flash of nimble legs Heathertail was picking him by the scruff and carrying Snowkit away. "Hey!" he yowled. He twisted and saw that Amberkit was receiving the same treatment.

Snowkit was large for his age, and Heathertail small. The combination resulted in Snowkit being dragged across the uneven earth, slush and prickly growths of the forest, finally being dropped on a root. Snowkit was indignant; no cat had actually _carried him_ for moons!

"Stay here or your brother will die," Heathertail spat. Snowkit sucked in a breath but Heathertail muffled his protest with a growl. "That isn't a threat, rabbit-brain. Your brother needs a medicine cat – would you rather we took him back to WindClan? Would you rather your little escapade start a war? You two will only slow us down, and the slower we go the worse your littermate gets. We've already stayed here too long."

Snowkit stayed mute and kept his gaze locked on her blue eyes – he would never admit as much, but the WindClan warrior was right. He was already exhausted from the night of walking, and Amberkit could only be worse despite her efforts at indifference.

He bowed his head and settled on his haunches, beaten. Heathertail whipped away, and the last Snowkit saw of her was the brown tip of her tail disappearing into the trees. Amberkit nuzzled his shoulder with her small white muzzle.

"He'll be okay," she mewed. Snowkit tried to force himself to believe her, even as the black pelt of a rival warrior carried his helpless littermate away. He buried his ears under his paws, and screwed his eyes shut.

* * *

The stars had begun to fade, leaving half-shadows and a temporarily empty sky in their wake. The wind picked up, lashing empty treetops together like warriors battling.

Snowkit lay curled on a dry patch underneath a hazel bush, sadly reminding him of the elder's den back at camp. He passed his tail-tip over his eyes and tried to sink into the slushy snow that he so resembled, even in his bedraggled state.

He had never realised it before, but despite his enthusiasm and ambition, Snowkit understood now just how helpless he was. "I'm not strong enough to walk back through the forest, let alone fight a WindClan warrior," he muttered, the beginning of a wail edging into his mew. "I wasn't strong enough to do _anything_ except make things worse."

A shivery body pressed beside Snowkit, and he opened his eyes to see Amberkit determinedly licking the forest gunk out of his fur. She was shaking violently, and he pressed closer to her, his only link to the warmth and love of the nursery that he had so taken for granted. He remembered that Lilypaw and Seedpaw had only been allowed to fight in a battle after they had been apprenticed for two moons – were apprentices fresh out of the Nursery unable to handle such strain?

"I don't know why you're talking about strength." Snowkit looked at Amberkit, amber eyes still glowing in her twilight-grey face. "This has nothing to with strength. Even if we were apprentices, they would have left us here."

Snowkit blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Amberkit stopped grooming him and tucked her paws underneath her. "WindClan and ThunderClan have been fighting, remember? Those WindClan warriors are going into ThunderClan territory, _enemy territory – _for them anyway. With us here in WindClan, ThunderClan doesn't have the upper paw."

Snowit blinked and looked around at the close-packed forest. "We're in WindClan? I thought they only lived on the moor."

"Don't you ever listen to the warriors speaking, moss-ears?" Snowkit hissed in response; Amberkit could be infuriating.

"Oh, go on already," he muttered.

"This is the bit of woodland on our side of the Moonpool stream that ThunderClan and WindClan have been fighting over." Amberkit looked intrigued, but Snowkit only felt tired and hollow, too drained by fear to really care about a few trees on one side of a stream. That stream though …

"If this is that … place-thing … it must be near the Moonpool stream, right?" Amberkit nodded. "So where's the stream? I can't see it." Snowkit didn't ask what a stream looked like – Amberkit would surely know, but Snowkit's source of information didn't include details like that.

Amberkit uncoiled her tail and flicked Snowkit's ear with it. "I didn't see it, badger-brain. I heard it. Remember that time Bramblestar visited the nursery, after Flamekit and Beaverkit were born? We were waiting outside to see them, and he came up to Dewkit and-"

"Do you ever shut up?"

Amberkit burrowed further down. "Squirrel-brains, you are impatient." Snowkit held back a snort – Amberkit certainly seemed to be overcoming her shock; in fact, she seemed a little too chipper, and Snowkit realised that she was covering her fear in witticisms. "Anyway, he told us about how the water at the sun-drown-place roared when it moved."

"I know, that's where he met that badger . . . umm, Sunlight or something!" Snowkit felt a trickle of warm pride flow into his freezing body.

"Midnight," Amberkit corrected, thankfully _without_ an annoying insult. "So," she mewed, continuing, "I thought that we'd hear the Lake making noise, if we were close enough. That's why I thought this tree was the Sky Oak, because I heard the noise of the stream." Both kits paused to listen, and Snowkit recognised the noise he had heard earlier, like branches brushing against each other. "I just couldn't figure out where it was coming from . . ."

Amberkit lapsed into silence. _She must be thinking of Dewkit_,Snowkit surmised.

"Well," another voice mewed, startling Snowkit, "you are one intelligent kit." Amberkit and Snowkit huddled together and stared silently at Sedgewhisker. The she-cat was leaning heavily against a mossy log scarily close to the kits, and lurched over to their dry patch underneath a tree.

Snowkit hissed, and Amberkit lashed her tail. "We may not be warriors, but if you come any nearer . . ." Snowkit let the threat hanging in the air, aware that everyone knew it was completely empty.

Sedgewhisker stretched her paws out luxuriously as if she was sunning on a rock. "If you won't, shall I introduce myself?"

Snowkit and Amberkit shared a glance. Snowkit definitely did not trust the WindClan warrior, but she didn't seem so threatening now that she was alone, injured. Snowkit even wondered if she would be interesting to talk to, but banished that thought as he remembered her comrades' explosive speed. If she wanted to, she could kill both Amberkit and Snowkit in an instant.

"Fine, then," she mewed casually. She turned her face up to the setting moon, and Snowkit could see her yellow eyes peeking out at him from the sides. "I am Sedgewhisker – mentor to Antpaw and deputy of WindClan.

Snowkit's eyes widened, and he sucked in a breath. "You're WindClan deputy?" he blurted out almost involuntarily.

Amberkit gave him a strange look. "Even Dewkit knows that Sedgewhisker is deputy. I bet his old Grumpy-Paws doesn't even know who WindClan _leader _is. " Snowkit prodded Amberkit with a paw, too tired to get up and make her pay for insulting his idol. His stomach rumbled, and he realised that he hadn't eaten anything for over one sunrise.

"Yes, Onestar's second deputy after Ashfoot – may StarClan guide her path."

"But deputies always go to Gatherings, and you said that Onestar was at WindClan camp . . ." Snowkit gulped, afraid to go further.

Amberkit was staring at him like Snowkit was a flying badger. Sedgewhisker glanced warily at them. "Which means that Bramblestar and Squirrelflight will be back at camp by now," Amberkit whispered, eyes filling with horror.

Snowkit dropped his head on his paws. "We're doomed," he mewed frankly. "We'll be kits for the rest of our lives." Amberkit kneaded her paws into the earth.

Sedgewhisker's eyes sparked with something like anger, but then softened so quickly Snowkit was certain he had imagined it. "I snuck out of camp once, when I was younger than you." Snowkit glanced at her cautiously. "Many cats do, and no two stories are alike. Do you want to hear mine? It might give you some ideas for your eternity of kithood." Sedgewhisker purred, and Snowkit realised with a shock that she was trying to be kind.

The warrior looked at him, fully taking in his shivering form. "You're obviously cold. Come closer or you'll freeze. WindClan cats can stand sleeping outside in the middle of a snowstorm, but you aren't used to being exposed. Come on, there's room by me."

Amberkit swished her tail in defiance. "It's practically newleaf; I don't know why you think we're cold. It may as well be greenleaf for all we care." Amberkit gave Sedgewhisker a stare would have stopped a dog in its tracks, and Snowkit appreciated the sentiment. It was different when they were only talking, but snuggling up to his clan's enemy – _my enemy_, he corrected himself – just seemed wrong.

Even though the wind was only getting fiercer and colder, and Snowkit could have sworn he was turning to ice.

Sedgewhisker shrugged. "Maybe the snow will take pity on one that shares its name. It _is_ almost newleaf, and I'm sure you're strong enough to survive the last frosts of leaf-bare." Snowkit held his tongue. Amberkit covered her paws with her long tail, resting its white tip underneath her nose.

"So anyway," Sedgewhisker continued, "do you want to hear my story?" Her mew was as kind and inviting as any ThunderClan queen, but Snowkit saw the watchfulness lurking behind the calm façade. He kept still.

"Well," Sedgewhisker began, not caring that neither kit had made any motion that they were even listening, "that other tabby in my patrol, Heathertail – she hates when kits sneak out of camp, because one night my sisters and I followed her to a cave with a huge river inside . . ."

Sedgewhisker wasn't as good a storyteller as Bramblestar, Brightheart, Cloudtail or Greystripe, and the tension between ThunderClan kits and the WindClan deputy didn't improve the matter. Snowkit's interest in the story itself though, increased when it began to include ThunderClan cats.

"Who rescued you?" Snowkit asked cautiously – he felt uncomfortable about it, but felt the tug of a natural curiosity that he trusted implicitly. Amberkit hissed and jabbed his side; Snowkit promised silently that he would get back at her later.

Sedgewhisker paused in thought. "Lionblaze was there – when he was still a 'paw, of course. You know, I once went on a journey with him and a few others to-"

"But who were the others? The two ThunderClan apprentices and the WindClan one?" Snowkit noticed than Sedgewhisker looked away at the mention of the WindClan apprentice who had accompanied Heathertail.

"Well, there was a ThunderClan she-cat, a pretty black thing – but you wouldn't know her. She died in the Dark Forest battle, defending WindClan." Sedgewhisker's eyes were sombre. Snowkit wondered how clans that had fought and died for each other went back to being enemies so quickly. "I can't quite recall her name. Some plant, or berry . . ."

"And the other two?" Sedgewhisker clearly wanted to get back to the story, but Snowkit pushed on.

The warrior sighed and arched her back. "Ow," she murmured, twitching her strained leg. "Well, there was your medicine cat, Jayfeather. Those three were littermates, all apprentices together. As for the WindClan apprentice …" Sedgewhisker hesitated, and Snowkit could tell that she was conflicted. "I can't remember his name either, but it doesn't matter; he's gone now."

"Did he die in the Dark Forest battle?" Amberkit nudged him with her paw again but Snowkit wasn't letting this go; Sedgewhisker was a new cat with new stories that Snowkit had never heard before, and he wouldn't be satisfied until he had heard everything.

"No," she snapped; Snowkit flinched. "Can I just-"

A streak of orange burst into the clearing, and the kits leapt up in surprise. Amberkit hissed weakly.

"Ah, Hawkpaw." Sedgewhisker raised her head and the tom flicked his tail in salute. Snowkit kept on his paws as the apprentice caught his breath.

"Sedge . . . whisker," he gasped. "They . . . I . . ."

The she-cat stiffly rose and limped to his side. She placed her tail by his mouth. "Stop." Hawkpaw sucked in a few tight breaths and closed his shining eyes.

Sedgewhisker carefully removed her tail. "Now, go on. What happened?"

"I followed the kits' scent trail . . . found some older paths that led me straight . . . straight there. I was going to speak with the guard"–Snowkit's heart plunged, and Amberkit sucked in a gasp–"but I think I startled him and he woke the whole clan … then I got into camp and found Jayfeather like you told me, and he convinced … he convinced everyone that I was telling the truth and there was no invasion. Then I left, and I ran into the rest of the patrol on the way. I told them that everything was okay, and now I'm … here." Hawkpaw sat heavily and hung his head.

Sedgewhisker appraised the young tom. "You have truly proven yourself, Hawkpaw. If not for your eyes we never would have noticed the kit in the branches, and you fulfilled your duty as messenger honourably in a difficult situation. I would be surprised if you weren't made a warrior after tonight, final assessment or no." The apprentice blinked his huge eyes, and stared at Sedgewhisker in quiet disbelief.

"Does – does Nightcloud think so too?" Hawkpaw mewed cautiously.

Sedgwhisker rested her tail on the young tom's shoulder. "She'd be rabbit-brained if she couldn't see how talented a warrior you would be. Nightcloud has more sense than that, and she has taught you well." Hawkpaw almost glowed with happiness, and Amberkit looked away.

Snowkit watched Hawkpaw as the apprentice shone with obvious pride. Snowkit found it hard to believe that he would ever face the amazing prospect of moving past apprenticeship and receiving his full name, especially after tonight's catastrophe. He knew it was horribly selfish to think about that even as Dewkit might be dying, but a prolonged kithood would probably still await all of them even if Dewkit made an immediate recovery.

"However," Sedgewhisker continued, "you still have one more thing to do." Hawkpaw raised his wide eyes and jumped to his paws. Sedgwhisker purred. "Onestar must be getting worried by now, but the last thing we want is a patrol. Report back to Onestar, and tell him I can handle this until we get back to camp." Sedgewhisker flicked her tail for him to leave, and tom ran.

Sedgewhisker sighed and carefully settled back by her log, half-closing her weary eyes. "No more stories," she mewed half-heartedly.

Amberkit stared after the place Hawkpaw had run to, curiosity and envy clear in her eyes. Snowkit snorted. _The one thing she really wants is to be a warrior, and now all she has to look forward to is another lifetime of the Nursery. _Amberkit shuttered her eyes as if she could read her brother's thoughts, and Snowkit felt a bolt of shame followed by resignation.

The sun would be soon to rise, and this expedition that promised so much had shocked and worn him out so that Snowkit felt a strong breeze could carry him away. He could hardly wait to fall asleep and leave this world of pain and confusion for the quiet and empty world of his dreams. _Except, _he thought, _for last night. _He could barely remember that dream, and had no time to dwell on it before the world drifted out from under him and he realised he was warm and his eyes were closed.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**If it isn't clear in the text , Sedgewhisker was injured because she caught Dewkit in midair and fell heavily to the ground. I didn't want to directly show that because I wanted Snowkit to have that moment of terror where he doesn't know where Dewkit is.**

**And yes, Ashfoot is dead. She was a nice character, but she was Mousefur's age, at least! **


	4. Chapter Three

**The next chapter is when things really start to happen story-wise, so hang in there.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.**

* * *

Snowkit woke with the acute realisation that he was cold. He batted a paw at where Brightheart should be, but found only empty air. He sniffed deeply and detected Amberkit close by, and other scents he could not name but which seemed eerily familiar. Suddenly anxious, he opened his eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light. Everything seemed brighter than usual, and Snowkit blinked a few times and waited for everything to come into focus.

Amberkit was a tail-length away from Snowkit, who had apparently been restless in his sleep as Amberkit lay in the exact position as earlier. She was curled in on herself, forming the smallest ball of fur and warmth she could, eyes drooping with fatigue. _Has she slept at all?_ Snowkit wondered.

Something snapped and Snowkit stumbled to his paws, weak from sleep.

"Stay right where you are," Sedgewhisker hissed. Snowkit shrunk into himself. _Is she speaking to me?_ Snowkit thought. Was she finally going to treat the kits as enemies? But, no. The WindClan warrior crouched low to the ground, disguising her injured foreleg, but had her gaze firmly fixed on a nearby clump of bracken.

"You aren't in any position to be making demands," a calm mew replied. Snowkit's tail rose. _Is that Whitewing? _

"I'm not? I suppose kin was never that important to ThunderClan, if you care so little for your own. I could slash their throats in an instant." Snowkit felt a touch on his shaking legs, and looked down to see Amberkit poking him with her tail. He sidled closer to her.

"We'll be kits forever," she whispered forlornly.

"At least we'll be alive!" he said. He couldn't believe that the only fear Amberkit had was of not becoming an apprentice; hadn't Sedgewhisker just threatened to snap their necks? Though of course, with Whitewing here, they would be fine.

"Sedgewhisker, step down. You're outnumbered, and we know you would never touch those kits. Your clanmates crossed into WindClan territory closer to the Lake. Just give us the kits." Snowkit stiffened; that was Cloudtail, and although Snowkit loved his father, it would be harder to take his disappointment than Whitewing's.

Whitewing easily pushed her way through brambles the WindClan cats had struggled through, shoulder to shoulder with Cloudtail, both warriors staring Sedgewhisker down.

"Two on one isn't such a hard fight when you have kits to protect." Sedgewhisker edged closer to Snowkit, and Amberkit bared her teeth.

"This is unnecessary." Snowkit glanced around for the third voice, before he realised it was right behind him. He yowled. An old, wiry, mottled tabby tom sat calmly by Snowkit's tail. "Sedgewhisker, your patrol is back at camp. This is no longer an affair of any significance."

The tabby she-cat bowed her head but Snowkit could still see her watching the ThunderClan warriors. "Of course, Onestar." Amberkit flinched. Suddenly, the two WindClan warriors were gone, only a few slightly swaying ferns showing where they had disappeared to. Even injured, Sedgewhisker could move faster than the wind.

_Onestar? Sedgewhisker? _Snowkit couldn't believe it; it was only just sinking in that he'd met the two of the three most important cats in WindClan, and even spoken to one of them. This would have been almost as good as a Gathering, if it wasn't for Dewkit's injury, the incredible fear and stress, and the inescapable knowledge that he should be ashamed. Oh, and the upcoming punishment.

Amberkit leapt to her paws and ran to Cloudtail, arching her spine along his belly. Snowkit awkwardly made his way to Whitewing, shaking as he rubbed against her legs. He felt as if he was melting as his sister touched her nose to his, though he didn't look her in the eye.

"Are you alright?" she asked, turning his head up to hers. "Are you hurt?" He shook his head and snuggled closer to her.

"I'm j-just cold," _and frightened, and exhausted, and confused, and hungry. _

Whitewing turned her head to Cloudtail, who was busy cleaning Amberkit's face. "We have to get back to camp, Cloudtail. They're freezing. You'll have time with them later, once they're warm."

Cloudtail nodded at his oldest kit. "Come on, then. We don't want to keep Brightheart worrying any longer." His usually humorous blue eyes rested on Snowkit with a sad intensity. "And Bramblestar probably has business with these two as well…"

* * *

The trek back to camp seemed to last an eternity. In truth the route they took was faster than the roundabout way Amberkit, Snowkit and Dewkit had taken, but there was only so much the kits' inexperienced paws could handle.

"Come on, Amberkit," Cloudtail said as he gently nudged her along. "The sooner we get back, the sooner we can stop." Amberkit swished her tail weakly and trudged onward. Snowkit had more energy, but his thick pelt was getting clogged with bits and pieces of the forest floor, weighing him down.

Neither kit had asked to stop or to be carried on the warriors' broad backs, and they hadn't offered anyway. Amberkit and Snowkit had an unspoken agreement that they would return to camp on their own paws. Snowkit wondered how many moons it would take to get used to travelling through the forest.

He had always heard that the forest was beautiful though, and Snowkit took some interest in that. For part of the way he tried to identify plants he had seen dried and stored in the medicine den, but his mind wandered and he tripped over his paws. _At least I have some experience for when I become an apprentice, _he thought. _If I ever do, that is. _

There was a rustling up ahead, and Snowkit crept closer by Whitewing's side. "Don't worry," she said, gazing down reassuringly at him. "It's only the dawn patrol."

Brackenfur, Moletooth, Poppyfrost, Toadstep, Bumblestripe and Seedpaw ran steadily past Cloudtail and his kits, not acknowledging them except for a stiff tail-flick from Brackenfur, the most senior warrior. That they hadn't stopped confirmed that the whole clan knew about what had happened now, and were treating the kits accordingly. Even Seedpaw, who had been denmates with Snowkit long ago, hadn't even glanced back.

"We're almost there," Cloudtail said, looking at Snowkit worriedly. _What's wrong? Is our punishment going to be _that _bad? _Suddenly Snowkit remembered Dewkit, carried back to camp by enemy warriors, unconscious and bleeding. Cloudtail loved and cared for his kits more so than most toms, and he must be terrified for Dewkit. He had always told the kits stories of when he snuck out of camp, and it had only just occurred to Snowkit that his father knew just how much danger young cats could get into. And Brightheart … but Snowkit couldn't to think about that.

"Will Dewkit be better soon?" he asked. Neither Whitewing nor Cloudtail answered. "I know we'll be apprentices for a little while longer, but I don't want to be made a 'paw without him and…" Snowkit trailed off. Cloudtail had stopped, claws digging into the fresh snow and head bowed, and Whitewing stared ahead. Amberkit continued on, too tired to register that the others weren't with her.

"Is Dewkit … he'll get better, right? He'll be an apprentice. He'll be an apprentice with us." Snowkit looked from Whitewing to Cloudtail, searching their faces for the truth.

Cloudtail turned, and the shattered look in his blue eyes cracked Snowkit's sky in half.

* * *

Snowkit could hardly remember the bodies of cats that he must have seen in the Dark Forest battle, but Icecloud, Whitewing's old apprentice, had died a few moons ago after being ensnared in a fox trap. Snowkit had been playing in the hollow with Lilypaw when Whitewing and Foxleap carried the warrior into camp. A ring of blood encircled her neck, and her upper body was coated with dark red over her snow-white fur. Her paws bled from her attempts at escape, and her eyes bulged with terror even after death.

Dewkit looked different though. The only marks on his pelt were the pinprick dots of Sedgewhisker's claws, and shallow scratches from being dragged through the forest. His eyes were closed; he had been unconscious. A thin line of dried blood was the only evidence of the horrific injuries he must have suffered. "Internal bleeding," Leafpool had said to Bramblestar when the leader came to the medicine den.

Snowkit sat outside the medicine den with Brightheart for most of the day. Whitewing brought them a vole but Snowkit didn't even glance at it, and Brightheart pushed it away. Cloudtail stayed with Amberkit a little way away.

Darkness came quickly. All too soon the warriors of StarClan were appearing in the sky. Bramblestar called the clan from Highledge, and Brightheart gently pushed Snowkit there.

"Dewkit rests in StarClan tonight." Brightheart looked up at the sky, but Snowkit kept his eyes fixed on Dewkit lying in the middle of the hollow. "His death was early, his life unfinished. We will always miss him, and the destiny that was only just unfolding beneath his paws. He would have been as fine a warrior as his mother and father before him."

And then the vigil.

Cloudtail and Brightheart curled around the three kits, sleeping like they used to when the kits were very young. Dewkit was in the middle, his littermates and parents shielding his helpless body from the world. Everything was collapsing around him, but Snowkit could hold on while he was with his brother, while their fur still touched and his scent still lingered. But Dewkit kept getting colder and colder as the night slipped by.

Soon enough the elders took him away to be buried. Snowkit didn't move, but watched as Sandstorm, Purdy and Greystripe carried his brother out of camp, carefully and lovingly this time. Amberkit finally snapped out of her reverie at that point, yowling, screeching and and trying to run after him. Cloudtail carried her by the scruff to the nursery. Brightheart brought Snowkit a finch from the pile, and they took turns taking bites from the scrawny bird in a quiet corner of the clearing.

"We won't be apprentices, Amberkit and I, will we?"

"Not for a little while. But you won't have to wait very long. I promise."

"Will Amberkit be okay?"

"She's a strong kit. Don't worry about her, she won't be this way forever."

"But if I don't worry, something might happen to her."

"It's my job to worry about Amberkit. If you ever feel worried about her, come to me and I'll worry for you. You can always come to me."

"I know, Brightheart."

"And that means that if you ever worry about how things could have been different last moonhigh, you come to me. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Always remember that."

"I want to make it so nobody has to worry about anything."

"That's very noble Snowkit, but not all cats will thank you for doing their worrying for them."

"But still. I want to try."

"Oh, Snowkit."

"I want to be a medicine cat."

"I'm sure you'll be a great medicine cat."

"Not just for Amberkit. For him, too."

"I know."

* * *

**While his death is still pretty integral to the story, one of the reasons I had Dewkit die was that kits never seem to get into real danger when they leave camp in the books, because they almost always come out of it okay. The only kit that died because from escaping from camp was a RiverClan kit who came across some toxic liquid in Starlight. **

**Besides that, if you're unclear on why exactly Dewkit died, it's explained more a few chapters from now, but the short story is that he fell from a very large height, was caught mid-air by Sedgewhisker, and landed on the ground with her weight on top of him, which resulted in internal trauma and bleeding which Jayfeather couldn't do anything to stop.**


	5. Chapter Four

**Sorry it's taken a while. But finally, the plot thickens! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own warriors**

* * *

Snowkit sat in the stone hollow, taking in the rare sunlight. His first newleaf had come, though it was still so cold it didn't feel that way. He blinked the gunk from his eyes. His night sleeping out of camp had given him a chill that he had not yet recovered from, despite the warmer weather.

Life in camp continued apace after Dewkit's death, if a bit quieter, a bit sadder. No cat could quite forget the image of that kitten-soft grey pelt lying still before the highledge.

But now, over a moon after that reckless night, Snowkit could see that the clan had moved on. He knew that most warriors had hardly known Dewkit at all, but Snowkit couldn't imagine forgetting. They were brothers, for StarClan's sake! Even then they were brothers, of that Snowkit was sure. All he had to do to find Dewkit was look up at Silverpelt. There was nothing else he could do about it now.

Snowkit trembled a bit and eyed the camp entrance. Jayfeather had gone out looking for new growth of herbs, Briarlight was asleep, and the rest of the clan seemed strangely ill at ease. Snowkit knew it had something to do with the disputed territory between ThunderClan and WindClan, but he wasn't too interested. He'd devoted himself to preparing for apprenticeship and becoming a medicine cat, not fighting.

Bramblestar and his senior warriors were gathered in a tense group near the fresh-kill pile, no doubt discussing strategy and tactics against WindClan, and the late arrival of newleaf's growth and prey. Squirrelflight seemed to be leading the meeting while Bramblestar looked on, Cloudtail, Millie, Brightheart, Brackenfur and Sorreltail asking questions.

Cinderheart was pacing around the stone hollow as Daisy tried to coax her back to the nursery. The grey she-cat had stuck to her warrior duties for longer than most queens, and now that she was confined to camp Cinderheart seemed not to know what to do with herself. Snowkit hoped he would be an apprentice for the birth of her kits.

Most of the rest of the clan was out on hunting missions or patrolling the unstable border with WindClan, though Leafpool had escorted Jayfeather out of camp and the apprentices were having their battle assessment.

"Hey, Snowkit!" Seedpaw yowled. She rushed through the thorn tunnel, and Snowkit purred as she approached him. Seedpaw had been his denmate in the nursery for a moon after his birth, and although almost twice his age Seedpaw always treated him as an equal.

"Hi." Snowkit coughed violently, but tried to cover it up with laughter. "How was your battle assessment?"

Seedpaw took a deep breath, and Snowkit could tell that his coughing hadn't penetrated her excitement. "First Lilypaw and I had to ambush Hazeltail and Bumblestripe and then _they _ambushed us and it was so fun but scary too, and Bumblestripe said that we worked together well! Isn't that fantastic?"

Seedpaw was as boisterous and excitable as a three-moon old kit, and sometimes Snowkit felt he was the older one. "That's really cool." He coughed. "When will your hunting assesment-"

"Didn't they assess you by yourselves?" Amberkit said, slinking over from the nursery. Snowkit stifled a purr, afraid he would start coughing again. He was glad that Amberkit was getting out a bit – since the vigil Snowkit's sister had kept to herself and hardly spoke at all. She ate very little and didn't play with the younger kits like Snowkit still tried to, despite the fact that he tried to spend more time with Jayfeather now. She didn't seem to do much of anything. Snowkit was worried, despite what Brightheart had told him.

Seedpaw stopped lashing her tail in excitement and looked down at her paws. "Yeah," she said. Snowkit cocked his head, taken aback by the ginger she-cat's sudden drop in mood.

"Were you that bad?" Amberkit said, and Seedpaw seemed to droop even more. "Did you get everything wrong? Will they not make you a warrior because you failed so badly?"

Snowkit stared in amazement. He was happy to see Amberkit out and about, asking questions like she used to, but had she ever been so inconsiderate before? She had always been blunt, calling the other kits names and saying exactly what she thought, but somehow Snowkit couldn't understand it anymore.

Bumblestripe padded into the hollow with Hazeltail, and caught Snowkit's eye. The warrior glanced at Seedpaw – his apprentice – and made his way over.

"What are you kits talking about?" He settled on his haunches, towering above the younger cats.

"Seedpaw was just telling us about how badly she did in her individual assessment," Amberkit said matter-of-factly, and coughed a little.

Seedpaw seemed to shrink into herself. She half-heartedly bowed her head to her mentor and quietly mewed that she should get some rest.

"Nonsense," Bumblestripe retorted without hesitation. "Seedpaw did very well. Both she and Lilypaw passed. She did well enough to prove that she can defend her clan in battle, so don't spread rumours and half-truths." He stared down both Amberkit and Snowkit, though Snowkit couldn't help thinking that it had really only been Amberkit making assumptions.

"And, Seedpaw." The striped warrior turned pointedly to his apprentice. "I don't want to hear anything about you sleeping the rest of the day and night away. An assessment is no excuse for laziness; find Lilypaw and go hunting. There are too many mouths to feed for a strong, capable and experienced apprentice to let her skills go to waste. I expect you to maintain the level you've set for yourself in your assessments, and go beyond."

Seedpaw seemed to swell with happiness. She dipped her head and ran off to the thorn-tunnel, where a confused Lilypaw was entering the hollow. Snowkit watched as they headed back out and Lilypaw waved her tail in hurried greeting, and wondered when he would be able to leave camp with his old friends.

Bumblestripe turned back to look at Snowkit and Amberkit, his expression much gentler now. "You seem to know all the clan gossip today; tell me, how are my kits doing?"

"Go ask them yourself, mousebrain," Amberkit snarled. She stalked off and Snowkit was left staring.

Bumblestripe narrowed his yellow eyes. _He isn't even close to being a senior warrior,_ Snowkit thought,_ but she could get in trouble for this. Our apprentice ceremony has already been pushed back a moon! Can't she just behave?_

Bumblestripe shook himself as if to shake off rain and looked back to Snowkit. "She must be hard to be around right now. It's not been easy for both of you lately." Bumblestripe paused and looked towards the medicine den. "Just never forget that you're on the same side."

"She's my littermate," Snowkit mewed simply.

Bumblestripe shrugged and headed towards the nursery; Dovewing was already standing at the entrance, waiting as if she'd sensed his presence. Beaverkit and Flamekit rushed out to meet him, tumbling over each other in delight. Beaverkit leapt onto her father's back while her sickly littermate, Flamekit, pestered the warrior for stories. The weak tortoiseshell tom coughed and wheezed through it all, and Dovewing looked on worriedly.

Snowkit hardly noticed; he was absorbed in his own world, with his own problems.

Amberkit had done nothing for a moon, curled in a corner of the nursery and deafened to the world. Her brief resurgence just then had only succeeded in upsetting Seedpaw and putting Bumblestripe on edge.

Snowkit had spent that time with Jayfeather when the medicine cat was inside camp, watching him sort herbs or treat minor injuries. When Jayfeather was out collecting herbs, Briarlight told Snowkit stories and taught him what little she had picked up in the medicine den. When he had to go back to the nursery for the night, he kept Flamekit and Beaverkit occupied so Dovewing could get some rest. He kept his cough hidden from Brightheart and Jayfeather so they wouldn't worry about him.

Snowkit had spent the time since Dewkit's death purposefully trying to improve himself, and Amberkit had stayed exactly the same. Snowkit wasn't sure how he felt about that.

* * *

"… so she swam into the river and pulled me out," Greystripe said, "then dragged me to shore – just like that, as if it weren't leaf-bare and freezing, as if I wasn't twice her weight, as if it didn't even matter that we were from different clans. Silverstream saved me then, and made my life worth living a thousand times over…"

"And that," Sandstorm said, "was the start of a beautiful friendship." The elder yawned. "Greystripe, give me a chance once in a while – I'm sure Snowkit would prefer to hear something less … sappy."

Snowkit shook his head fervently. "No, no! I … umm, I like … sap."

Sandstorm rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you do. But I thought you came here for real stories, not Greystripe's attempt at drama."

Greystripe curled up in the nest Seedpaw had made for him and faced away. "I'm not in the mood for any more stories."

Sandstorm whipped her tail and motioned Snowkit closer. He had left his vigil of the thorn tunnel after sunhigh, bored with sitting and waiting for Jayfeather with nothing to think of but his siblings. Purdy was asleep and snoring, coughing intermittently.

"Forget him," Sandstorm murmured as Snowkit crept closer. "He's just an old fool with a lot of sad stories that too-old kits don't need to hear. I'll tell you about the time Brokentail invaded ThunderClan with his rogues…"

_I sort of wish_, Snowkit thought, withstanding another round of the coughing that had hounded him for the past few days, _that I could hear Greystripe's stories. I'd much rather hear about love than war. I'll never be a warrior, so what's the point of hearing about fighting and battle? _

"… but the bones didn't carry WindClan scent. No cat could detect it but Yellowfang, who had known that scent for seasons in her own clan – those bones carried Brokentail's scent, and-" Sandstorm was cut off as a familiar pale grey tom stepped into the yew tree that was the elder's den.

"Ah, Jayfeather," Sandstorm said. "I was just telling your apprentice about Brokentail's raid on-"

"He isn't my apprentice." Jayfeather turned his head Snowkit. "Snowkit: out, now!" And with that the medicine cat spun around and stalked to his den. Snowkit watched worriedly. _Is something wrong with him?_ Snowkit thought. _Or did I do something wrong? Is he going to tell me that he doesn't want me as his apprentice?_

Snowkit leapt to his paws and ran towards the medicine den. Jayfeather was already sitting inside, lashing his tail and staring at a point above Snowkit's head. Briarlight was kneading her paws in the fresh bedding Moletooth had fetched her while the apprentices had their assessment.

"That was you coughing, wasn't it?" Snowkit couldn't glean anything from Jayfeather's voice or eyes, but the medicine cat's body betrayed him. Snowkit could tell that Jayfeather was agitated.

"Yes." Now that he thought of it, Snowkit realised that he should have told Jayfeather about the coughing earlier and not tried to hide it. _Why would I even do that?_ Snowkit thought. _I didn't want to bother him, but maybe I should have told him._ Snowkit braced for a fierce berating.

"How long have you been coughing? Have you coughed anything up? What did it look like? Who else is coughing?" Snowkit hesitated under the barrage of questions. "Go on!"

"I …umm." He looked to Briarlight for support, but the crippled warrior looked as worried as Jayfeather. Suddenly something snapped in Snowkit's head.

_I want to make it so nobody has to worry about anything. I said that to Brightheart, and I tried to stay true to that by keeping my coughing a secret from Jayfeather, but now I've just made everything worse for him. All I can do is tell him everything I know._

"I've started coughing around the last half-moon, I think. Once or twice I coughed up some sticky white stuff." Briarlight glanced up at Jayfeather and then back down again. "I think Amberkit was coughing a bit today, but it didn't seem so bad. Flamekit too, actually, but he always has something, and Purdy too."

Jayfeather swallowed and spoke very quietly. "And Briarlight? Have you noticed anything else?"

"Maybe … maybe some of the warriors were coughing, now that I think of it. Hazeltail was this morning before she left to assess the apprentices. Some in the sunhigh patrol for the WindClan border." She hesitated. "Lionblaze, I think."

Jayfeather didn't move or speak for what seemed like a lifetime to Snowkit. Finally, he mewed very softly, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I'm sorry," Snowkit began, jumping to his paws. Briarlight began to apologise at the same time. "I just didn't want you to worry but-"

"Not you two!" Jayfeather spat. Briarlight and Snowkit looked on as the medicine cat bolted out of the medicine den and into stone hollow. After a moment of shock, Snowkit bounced up to follow him.

Lionblaze had just dropped a rabbit at the fresh-kill pile and was talking with the senior warriors.

"You're sure you were on ThunderClan territory?" Bramblestar asked. "Rabbits don't usually stray that far into ThunderClan."

"I caught it on the way back," Lionblaze said, arching his golden back in exhaustion. "I'm not so foolish that I would purposefully provoke WindClan like that."

Squirrelflight twitched an ear. "We do need the prey; newleaf has never stayed at bay this long. But try not to catch anything within sight of the border again. We'll only start sending warriors to hunt on that strip of woodland once it's secure for us."

"You need to trust him more," Cloudtail said, patting a spot on the ground for Lionblaze to join the senior warriors. "Come Lionblaze, join us."

"Sorry Cloudtail, I don't think Cinderheart would appreciate being left alone in the nursery much longer." Lionblaze bowed his head to the higher ranking warriors, deputy and leader and started heading towards the nursery.

Jayfeather stopped abruptly behind Lionblaze and Snowkit skidded to a halt behind him. Snowkit only had a moment to marvel at how Jayfeather seemed to know exactly where he was and where he was going despite his blindness.

"Don't. Take. Another. Step." Jayfeather was breathing heavily, and Lionblaze turned around in confusion.

"Jay? What's wrong?"

Jayfeather stepped in front of Lionblaze, blocking his path. "You've been coughing, haven't you?"

Lionblaze mewed an affirmative, looking away. "I didn't want to bother you with it."

"Well, it's my problem now, isn't it?" Jayfeather snarled. "Snowkit here has whitecough, and unless you want your mate to get it too you'll stay away from her and go to the medicine den _right now._" The intensity in Jayfeather's voice stunned Snowkit for moment before he realised what had been said.

_I have whitecough? Did I give the whole clan whitecough?_

Lionblaze was just as shocked. "Whitecough? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Cinderheart can't afford to get whitecough!"

Every hair on Jayfeather's body bristled. "Why didn't _I _tell you? You should have told me that you were coughing!" Every cat in the hollow was looking now, and Snowkit felt as if he should do something to stop this.

"I just thought you'd know if it was serious, and I-"

"I don't know everything! I can't _do _everything!" Jayfeather was practically nose-to-nose with Lionblaze now. "If everyone would just stop trying to appease me we would-"

"Stop." Lionblaze, Jayfeather, Snowkit and all the other onlookers turned to see Leafpool sitting with a small bundle of leaves at her paws.

"Both of you. Stop. Jayfeather, who do you think is sick?" Leafpool's calm voice soon pervaded the hollow, and every cat seemed to take a breath.

"Dovewing's tom-kit," Jayfeather said, calm and in control again, "the tortoiseshell. Purdy, Amberkit, Snowkit. Briarlight thinks Hazeltail … and Lionblaze."

Leafpool closed her eyes for a moment, thinking. "Gather them and inspect them. While you do that I'll look for others who've been coughing." She opened her eyes. "I've lived through one greencough epidemic, and I don't want to see another."

Every cat was silent for a moment. _Did I … have I caused a greencough epidemic?_ Snowkit wondered with horror._ Oh StarClan, is this all my fault?_

* * *

**_Dah-Dunh!_**

******Yep. That's where I'm ending this chapter. **

**And if you're having trouble keeping track: Snowkit and Amberkit are now about 6 moons and three weeks old. It's a moon since the gathering, and they have another quarter-moon before they're supposed to be made apprentices. But! We shall see how it turns out.**

**(Note: I really, really don't like how many characters there are in ThunderClan by the end of The Last Hope. ****_Wink, wink._****)**


End file.
